Saturday, March 14, 2009

Upper in the Basement

Body weight landed a little under 156 this morning. That's 1-2lbs less than I expected to weigh on Monday morning, so I changed the plan. I used the first part of today to carb back up, moving my lifting into the afternoon. It helped, but I was still weakened.

Serious lifting was not in the cards for today. Outside of being tired, my shoulder was feeling crunchy. I need to stretch today and tomorrow. I did have fun screwing around and got to finish watching the Starting Strength DVD. I've picked up enough tips to justify the $20 investment.

It is clear to me that stringing together the high protein days is overkill for now. I am going to ride out a pattern of high protein eating every other day, until progress stalls. It feels a little surreal to drop weight this quickly after hovering between 160 and 170 for the last year. Several of my relative strength goals are within an attainable distance.

Learning how to integrate the new high protein meals into my long term nutrition is something I continue to mull over. There are a few things I've picked up that I'd like to hang on to:

1. A meal of egg whites, fake breakfast sausage, vegetables, and hot sauce2. Mixing flax oil into my protein shakes using the blender bottle3. A meal of seitan with vegetables and hot sauce, no grains4. A snack of a pack of tofurkey with half a bag of lettuce5. Understanding that carb heavy vegetables (corn, carrots, peas) aren't much different the grains

I am also amazed how easily appetite is suppressed with the appropriate dietary tweaks. Even though the high protein days are 1200-1300 calories, my only hunger is psychological. The combination of lots of protein, a daily multi-vitamin, lots of tea, spicy food, mints, and calcium/magnesium/zinc supplements completely eliminates my physical hunger. It is crazy.

It is clear my lean weight is in the low 140's. Adjusting to that size will be mentally difficult.